Omaha daily bee., 1887-12-30
sTATus OF THE STRIKE.
Relations Between the Reading and
Its Employees Still Compile ated.

Its Employees Still Complicated.
PITrsBuRo, Dec. ga prominent official
OF the Pennsylvania company stated to re-
porter that while there was no truth in the
rumor OF strike on their system, the men
had requested an advance In wages. The re-
quest came IN the nature of a petition and not
as demand. He could not say whether it
would be granted or not, but he felt confident
there would be no strike. a conference has
been arranged between the railway officials
and their employees looking to a settlement.
PnILApELpniA, Dec. 29.-Officers Of the
Reading railroad company and the committee
of the Knights Of Labor came together again
this morning and parted after a short but
stormy session. Chairman Lee and Ben
nett, member OF the executive committee of
the knights, called at the office of the
company this morning and sent in
their names to Superintendent Sweigard.
Lee informed a reporter that the committee
had called in response to a request of the
superintendent. Superintendent Sweigard
said he would talk TO Lee alone, but Lee said
Bennett and himself We're members Of the
executive committee and that the supern-
tendent would have to talk TO both Of them or
not at all. Sweigard said he refused to
recognize any committee, whereupon Lee and
Bennett left
Lee was afterwards discharged from the
company's employ ,
Uniformed policemen guard every entrance
TO the Port Richmond coal wharves. There
has been no trouble of any kind. All trains,
both passenger and freight, moved Us usual.
The vanguard of the delegates TO the con-
yention Of the Reading railroad employees, to
be held in this city to night arrived this
forenoon. Every local assembly Of the
Knights OF Labor in the anthra-
cite region, embracing the Schuyl-
kill, Lehigh and Wyoming regions,
will be fully represented and the meeting
will be one Of the most important that has
been held for long time, as it will decide
whether the Knights of Labor will pool their
issues in the fight and stand together or let
the railroad men fight their own battles.
New York, Dec 29.--Austin Corbin, presi-
dent Of the Reading railroad, defined the po-
sition of the company towards its employees
in letter sent at noon today to Mcleod,
general manager, with instructions to COM
municate its contents to the men. In IL he
obliged and thankful, and shall
not forget them, but the time has
now arrived when aii of our employees
will be required 10 decide whether they ex-
pect to retain their places by reason of hopest
aud faithful service and prompt obedience to
orders of the company that employs them and
pays them, or blind obedience to
the direction of the knights of Labor
through which organization the leaders
who consider the first obedience due to that
order. Men that stand by us will have
employment with reasonable hours and
good pay Men who do not will never
be allowed on the road again under
any circumstances. We have never objected
to labor organizations and do not not now.
Every man shall be free to belong to one or
not as he pleascs, but orders cannot and shall
not dictate to this company as to whom it
shall employ or how to operate its property.
READING, Pa, Dec 29.-Two hundred and
fifty delegates representing the Reading rail-
road and coal and iron company's employees
met here tonight. The majority of delegates
present seemed to think that the strike on
the railroad was for most part over, and that
the convention should devote itself to doing
the best it could for the miners, unless the
men in this city should reconsider their for
mer action not TO strike.
The Secret of the Strike.
New York, Dec 29.-The Evening Sun
says: 'Though the strike on the Reading
system seemed to come suddenly, yet re-
liable information indicates that it is part of
long conceived policy dictated by Powderly
and those who act with him. The Reading
system was not the one originally aimed at
by Powderly. In fact he was pretending to
be friendly with that system so that he
might use it and his strength among its en-
ployers rs club to beat the other railway
systems of Pennsylvania Some time ago
Powdeily decided to boycott, every road in
Pennsylvania except the Reading. Secret
orders were sent out instructing every as
sembly to carry out this boycott, but these
orders were transmitted in different man.
ner from all previous or ders TO boycott. In
stead of sending out an official circular, he
dispatched agents to many parts Of the coun-
try to request that all freight that was possible
should be diverted from other roads and
shipped over the Reading In this way
he hoped to boycott the Pennsylvania, Le-
high Valley and other roads secretly. The
strike on the Reading is taken by those are
on the inside as indicating the failure Of the
boycott. They did not get the freight and
passengers for the Reading that Powderly
intended. 1t was the executive boards pur-
pose, after diverting this business to the
Reading, to demand certain things of the
managers. Failing in this they ordered a
strike in hope of gaining by stopping trains
what could not be got otherwise. 1t is a
curious thing that the alleged cause of the
strike is because the employees were asked by
the company to handle some Of the very
freight the boycotters had caused to be di-
vcrted to the Reading.
Work Resumed at Elizabcthport.
ELlzABETHPoRT, N. j., Dec. 29.-Work was
resumed on the Reading decks this morning
Two steamers arrived with l75 men Of sew
cral nationalities, and they were put to work
uuuCT the HFOtcttlOn Oi ftNktTtOu lut
sheriff has promised the superintendent tina,
he will see that no violence is done. NO one
is allowed on the docks, and the discharged
employees keep aloof.
The Crew Of the Newcastle.
BALTIMORE, Dec. 29.--Tne schooner Agnes
| A. Grace, which arrived to-day from Boston
| brought the crew Of tho British steamer New
| Castle City, which foundered ncar the Nan
tucket south shoal light house, December %
| All on board were saved. The vessel an(
cargo were worth $200, 600.
King kalakaua's RoOst.
| SAN FRANCISCO, Dee. s9.--Private dispatches
| received here from members Of the Hawaiian
| legislature say that were it not for the pres
cnce of English and American men of war il
the harbor an outbreak would undoubtedl.
have been made on the assembly Of the legis
laturc December 10. Minister Ashfor,
brought out the Honolulu rifles witt
| tho intention of slhvertinp the GOVERN